


Deeper Than the Night

by totally4ryo



Category: Torchwood
Genre: Community: Long Live Ianto, Immortal Ianto Jones, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-17
Updated: 2015-03-17
Packaged: 2018-03-18 06:37:24
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,724
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3559829
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/totally4ryo/pseuds/totally4ryo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Jack and Ianto previously agreed on some time away from each other, Ianto did not take his 1000th birthday into consideration. Now that the milestone birthday arrived, Ianto wishes he was with Jack, who last he knew was across the system.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Deeper Than the Night

**Author's Note:**

> Beta by: bookwrm89.   
> Notes:This was written for the longliveianto Millennium Birthday Challenge.I'm not sure if this is set in one of my immortal!Ianto 'verses or a stand-alone.

Ianto strolled across the dark field, using a torch to see his way. There were a few widely spaced dim lights around the field. The sky above was darker than usual with the deep purple cloud covering that blocked out the twin moons. The only other light came from behind him. The small building he had come from had some light coming from a small window in the front next to the door.

 

He continued his walk until he approached the large spaceship that was set apart from the few smaller spacecraft. As he walked under the cargo transport, he used the controls on the leather band he wore on his left wrist to open the hatch. As the hatch opened and the stairs lowered to the ground, he idly caressed the band. It was worn and battered, but still worked. The band was the 5th one to keep the sonic multi-function device on his wrist, and he lost count on which number the actual device was since his first one, which Jack had given to him as a wedding gift for their first wedding, which was actually a Civil Partnership back in Cardiff, Wales. Since then, they had a few more ceremonies, usually so they could be legal in whatever part of the universe they found themselves settling down in. Most importantly, the ceremonies always took place when they would reunite after a period of separation, always preferring to renew their vows.

 

The ship was not as large as the standard transports but it was also sleeker and much faster, able to make impressive manoeuvres freighters were not known to do. It was eighteen years ago that the ship was built on an outpost port for Torchwood, under Ianto's guidance, using the best engineers and specialists he was able to find. The ship had withstood years of being shot at, and some hull repair, but she was always able to complete her mission even under the most adverse conditions. Ianto knew it was possible that one day the transport would meet her end, but until then she served him and their cause well. At first it was used by crews who were under Ianto's command, but two years later, she became Ianto's ship for humanitarian runs. Along with piloting skills and experience born from over 900 years of flying many types of spacecraft with his usual flair of perfection, the ship not only added speed and manageability during difficult manoeuvres, it also boasted both cloaking and chameleon circuits in the shields. Ianto was able to go undetected into regions where others were unable.

 

It was what Ianto had been doing for the last seventeen years. That was also how long he had been separated from Jack. It was not their first time apart, nor would it be their last in their very long lives. Knowing how long they still had ahead of them, millennium upon millennium, those breaks were necessary. In the face of eternity, even a century or two seemed like a short break. It was not as if they did not miss the other, but they concluded it would be necessary to the continued existence of their relationship. Like the other times, it had felt right when they had decided it was time for a break. They had been arguing more, getting on each others' nerves too much, and even started to take the other for granted. It was nice to know that someone would always be there when needed, but Ianto's intentions were not to take that for granted. He knew Jack felt the same. Their love went beyond that, beyond being, as far as they knew, the only two of their kind in the universe. There were races with natural lives of thousands of years, and others with fast healing, but none of those races were Human. None of those races would live forever. No one would, except for Ianto and Jack. They had also been together for 227 years since their last time apart.

 

They had decided to go their own ways for twenty years. Normally during a break, both men found something to keep themselves busy and the time seemed to go by quickly before they reunited. The breaks were always a fraction of the time they spent together. It was only another three years until it was time to head off to their favourite resort in the Vegas galaxy and meet up with Jack. Ianto had been hoping that the war he was currently involved in would be over by then.

 

Still standing before the stairs leading up into his ship, Ianto gritted his teeth. His attention drifted back to the small structure in the distance. It was a prefab structure for quick assembly. In its packed mode, it fit in the ship. They had several more in a special storage area in the cargo bay. The most efficient function of the prefab packs was that not only did it open into a small building with several rooms; it also included a set up that was very close to a functioning kitchen. A hook up to a micro-generator provided power and a water recycler gave running water to the abode. The one they were using had three rooms plus the kitchenette and bathroom. The main room was a sparsely furnished lounge, most of the furnishings air-filled or just cushions. The last Ianto had seen of his five team members, they were sprawled out comfortably in the lounge. Another room provided simple bunks for the five to sleep in, and the third room was Ianto's own space with a small cot and a desk. Normally Ianto slept in his room whenever they were planet-side, but sometimes he needed to be on his own and slept in his cabin on the ship.

 

He ended up walking away from the stairs and walked out from under the ship, doing a slow walk around. He stopped, standing before the aft doors. They were wide and led into the main cargo area. Above the hydraulic doors was the name of the ship – Toshiko IV. He smiled sadly; glad he’d managed to hang onto memories of his best friend from the 21st century.

 

“Tomorrow is my birthday,” he softly said to the ship, in his mind he was filling Tosh in on his life. He’d found himself doing that often over the centuries. “Here I was thinking I wouldn't live to see 30. I'm a little older than 30, as you know.” He shrugged. “I've been telling you that for centuries now haven't I? I'm going to be 1000 tomorrow.” He glanced down at his watch. “Well, in a few minutes. In 12 minutes I'm going to be 1000. I could have never imagined it back then.” He let out a heavy sigh. “I should be happy, yeah? I mean I'm 1000 and true, being immortal is not easy. Watching people you care about and love die, but there's still Jack. He makes it worth it, makes the pain of loss less. I do the same for him. At least I hope I do. He says I do and there's no reason for me not to believe him anymore. I know everything about him. He talks to me now. When we meet up again, we'll share everything we have been up to for the twenty years in between rounds of reunion sex. There are no secrets between us anymore. We did speak to each other a few times in the last seventeen years. We can never completely break from each other that much. I get messages from Jack at times, too.” Ianto started to smile. “That's how I can stand here, not seeing Jack for seventeen years and can still say I'm still with him. It's those little things that we do during the time apart that assures us that we'll both be waiting in our designated place on a set date. So yes, I'm free and far from celibate – when I actually have the time, that is - but I still consider myself with Jack.”

 

Ianto shook his head. “It was time,” he said, now sounding more like he was attempting to convince himself. “We had to take the break so we can continue to be together. As much as we love each other, we know our love could not survive being together 24/7 through eternity. That's why we do it. But why did we pick twenty years?”

 

He sighed, suddenly feeling his age, despite looking like the twenty-seven year old who had become immortal 973 years ago. “I completely forgot that I'd be celebrating this birthday while we were apart.”

 

No one knew his birthday these days, except for Jack. And if they did, they most certainly did not know the year he was born. That was his secret. He somehow managed to make his current team believe he was thirty-five and looked young for his age, which wasn't all that unusual in the last few centuries. Considering his position of unit commander, thirty-five was a better age to allow people to believe than twenty-seven.

 

He wanted Jack with him to celebrate the milestone birthday.

 

By the time he found himself back at the stairs leading up into the ship, it was midnight. He climbed the stairs and pushed the control on the bulkhead in the small entryway to retract the steps and close the hatch. He waited until the hatch was shut and double checked the controls to assure it was locked. He strolled along the single corridor on the bottom level of the two level ship toward the stairwell, and climbed quickly to the upper level. The bottom level was the living area of the transport, with a galley that had food processors along with equipment to make fresh food. There were two lounges and a cold storage area. Most times when they were underway, it was not unusual that the larger of the two lounges was used as an overflow for cargo. The cold stores were filled to bursting on the way to their destination. The perishable food they were able to deliver was not close to what the demand was, but they were able to provide some different kind of foods for some in the colonies they would be delivering to. The upper level held the flight deck, crew quarters and Captain's quarters.

 

Ianto stood outside the Captain's quarters, not relishing the idea of spending the night alone in the bed. He supposed he could have taken a land transport to the nearest village and found someone to spend the night with. Any other birthday without Jack, he would have if the time allowed. One reason why he stayed with his crew during the evening rather than go into the village for drinks and companionship was he had to be available early the next day as they waited for a supply shipment, and have much needed goods and food loaded onto the Toshiko IV. In addition to supplies, there would also be replacement pilots arriving to replace the ones they had lost during their last run. Ianto tended not to get too close to those he commanded for that reason. What they did, they lost too many lives, but it was for the greater good. Civilians and children would have food to eat, medical supplies and some comforts, even small, to make life on the four Human colony worlds under siege by the Fyleryans. It was Ianto's crew's jobs to get supplies behind the barricades to those colonies until the war between Human and Fyleryans was over. Fighting had gone on for eighteen years, and for seventeen of those Ianto had been doing these runs. He started as chief pilot of the transport, but within five years had assumed command of an air wing. The fighter crafts' chief job was to protect the Toshiko IV, especially en route to a barricaded world. When they were not making supply runs, the fighters made strike raids on the Fyleryan outposts which ran the barricades the four Human colonies were stuck behind.

 

“Get over it, Jones,” Ianto told himself as he placed his hand against the ID plate to open his door. The doors swished open. Ianto walked into the darkened small office and was immediately aware of lights coming from his sleeping quarters. Pulling out his laser gun that he always carried on him, he went to the door. “Hands up and you won't get ki---”

 

Ianto stood frozen in the doorway, gun still aimed, but his eyes were wide with surprise and amazement.

 

“You might kill me, but it won't keep me down,” Jack Harkness said with a roguish grin. He wore a black and navy blue one piece flight suit, standing in the small space in the corner by a chest of drawers, holding two long glasses. When Ianto did not answer, and didn’t move, Jack added, “I know I broke our agreement by showing up early, but it's no reason to shoot me. I just had to be here for your 1000th birthday.” He raised one of the glasses up. “Happy millennium birthday, Ianto Jones.”

 

Ianto realized the glasses were filled with champagne. Real Earth champagne and not some other worldly variation. The gun dropped from his hand and fell to the floor with a clang as Ianto finally started to move, quickly closing the distance between him and Jack.

 

Jack managed to put down the glasses to catch Ianto in his arms and hold him close. Ianto's lips pressed against Jack's and they indulged in a long, deep kiss – their first in seventeen years. Ianto's hands rubbed up and down as he marvelled once again on how familiar Jack's kiss was, how his hands still knew Ianto's body, and how his own hands seemed to remember the familiar curves and planes of Jack's body. How his hands were able to give the right pressure in the right places to elicit sighs and moans from his partner's body.

 

As they broke the kiss to catch their breaths, Jack rested his forehead against Ianto's and grinned. “I missed you,” he sighed.

 

“I missed you, too.” Ianto suddenly tightened his hold on Jack. “I'm so glad you're here. I didn't think when we....”

 

“That was seventeen years ago, and I doubt you were thinking about this milestone birthday of yours. But I already knew that it didn't matter where we were or what we were doing, I would find a way somehow to be here with you. I only worried that I'd be a third wheel.”

 

Ianto shook his head vehemently. “Even if there was someone else in my life right now, you always come first.” He kissed Jack's lips softly and pulled away softly. “I can't think of anyone else I'd want to spend this particular birthday with. I'm so glad you are here because I thought I would have to spend the day alone.”

 

“Never, Ianto Jones. You'll always come first to me, too. No matter where I am or what I'm doing.”

 

They indulged in more kissing until Jack pulled away to hand Ianto a glass. “We should drink this.”

 

“Did you do some smuggling, Jack Harkness?” Ianto raised an inquiring eyebrow that normally would make Jack squirm, but his smile told Jack he was being teased.

 

“Well... I wouldn't call it smuggling. But I did have it on the ship that I used to get here.” Jack grinned. “And no questions now. You'll see tomorrow. I thought it would be nice for us to spend some time doing something for your big day.”

 

Ianto first smiled, feeling warm inside that Jack not only showed up when he did, but put thought into how to spend the day. Except he obviously did not spend too much thought on what Ianto was up to these days. He lost his smile and started to frown. “Jack,” he groaned unhappily. “I can't. As much as I'd love to, there so much that needs to be done tomorrow. And I can't just swan off leaving my team to deal with it without me.”

 

Jack placed a finger to Ianto's lips, and smiled. “I know and I have it covered. I promise you. Just give me a few hours. Two or three.”

 

“Maybe in the evening. Once we get the cargo loaded so we can be ready to leave first thing day after. I hate to ruin your plans, Jack, but this is really important....”

 

“Shh. You don't have to explain to me about getting supplies behind enemy barricades. I'm fighting this war, too. Just because my efforts have been more focused on the Fyleryans' main fleet across the system doesn't mean we're not fighting the same fight.” His arms slipped around Ianto's waist and pulled him close. “I have the easy job. It's no big deal doing sorties in large numbers. But your crews are small and limited and taking on the dangerous runs. I'm so proud of you, Ianto. And know you have my absolute support. Now trust me that I took that into consideration while planning the best possible day that I could for you.”

 

Ianto studied Jack. “It's not that I don't trust you, but I need to remind you that sometimes your ideas have not been the best.”

 

Jack laughed. “I know, I know! But this one is. I promise!”

 

Ianto sighed and then met Jack's eyes. “Okay. I trust you. But even having you here for tonight is more than I hoped. So thank you.”

 

“No need for thanks. Now, there's this lovely bed only a few feet from us. What do you say we make better use of it than looking rugged and sturdy?”

 

Ianto's grin turned into a leer. “Oh, yeah. I never really did get a chance to test just how sturdy it is.”

 

Jack took the empty glass from Ianto and placed both glasses on the small bedside trunk, where he also kept the bottle chilled in an ice bucket. He grabbed onto Ianto's hand and tugged as he fell backward toward the bed, pulling Ianto to fall onto him.

 

“I definitely love how you think,” Ianto said with a laugh as he started to undo the clasps on Jack's flight suit while Jack's hands were tugging up Ianto's tunic.

 

* * *

 

They spent the night making love until Ianto fell asleep in Jack's arms. Ianto realized that he slept better that night than he had in a long time. Being immortal, he tended not to sleep much. Looking back, he realized that it seemed the only time both him and Jack really slept was when they shared a bed. It made him feel good inside.

 

He was in a great mood that morning when he met his crew for breakfast and introduced Jack. Much to his surprise before they left the Toshiko IV, Jack produced his transfer papers to serve as one of Ianto's fighter pilots.

 

“If you'll have me,” Jack said, almost sounding shy.

 

“Does this mean we're not going for twenty years?” Ianto asked.

 

“Do you want to?”

 

“Fuck, no! If I can keep you with me, then no. That's over.”

 

“We'll have to plan our next vow renewal then.”

 

“We will.” Ianto shared a look with Jack and knew that they would be together for the next 200 or so years from that day on, being apart only when careers demanded temporary separation but both Jack and Ianto were off the market again.

 

Putting himself under Ianto's official command, Jack worked hard when the larger freighter arrived and they transferred cargo from one ship to the other. Jack also let it slip while they worked that it was their Captain's birthday. They were done with loading in time for a late lunch, which was turned into an impromptu birthday celebration for Ianto. After the short but enjoyable party, Ianto had the crew go over the cargo in the ship one more time while he worked on his logs. The remainder of the pilots had arrived during the day and Ianto had to debrief them, including Jack, on their usual missions.

 

They were finally free in the evening. Since they did not require sleep, Ianto allowed Jack to take him to the village where he claimed he had a surprise that would help them celebrate Ianto's big birthday.

 

Jack lead Ianto to the edges of the Village, where among a grove of trees was a familiar blue box.

 

Ianto stared at Jack, his eyes wide. “The TARDIS?” he asked. “Where's the Doctor?”

 

“He's... around,” Jack replied cryptically. “Actually he's where we're going - eventually. He allowed me to borrow the TARDIS to come get you,” he replied as they walked toward the TARDIS. At Ianto's raised eyebrow, Jack shrugged. “Okay, I had help convincing him.” He placed his hand on the blue wood. “Isn't that right, beautiful?”

 

Ianto placed his hand next to Jack's and laughed as he felt the delight from the TARDIS. “She wanted to do something for my birthday!” he exclaimed in glee.

 

“She did. The Doctor will be around too at some point. What's the use of having a party without long time friends? But for a while, it's just me and you. And we can make this birthday celebration last as long as we like. Because me and this girl have an agreement to get you back here on time for launch tomorrow. She understands what you do is important and supports you.”

 

“So I can feel.” Ianto stroked the wood lovingly. “Thank you, precious. I love you, too,” he said to the ship.

 

The door opened on its own, inviting them in. Ianto grinned. “Shall we?” he asked Jack.

 

“Oh, definitely.”

 

Ianto stopped before the monitor and laughed as Jack hugged him close.

 

“Happy Millennium Birthday, Ianto,” Jack read what scrolled across the screen in large colourful letters.

 

“It is happy now,” Ianto replied, turning in Jack's arms and kissed his reunited partner. When they broke the kiss, Jack pulled apart to go over to the central console.

 

“Where are we going?” Ianto asked.

 

“For now? Anywhere you want.”

 

In that case,” Ianto said with a laugh as he joined Jack at the console, “I say let's make it a surprise.”

 

They both laughed as they felt the TARDIS's delight.

 


End file.
